Troutnut.com Fly Fishing for Trout Home
User Password
or register.
Scientific name search:

> > Eastern Green Drake



The Specimen

Ephemera guttulata (Green Drake) Mayfly DunEphemera guttulata (Green Drake) Mayfly Dun View 16 PicturesIt's about time I got a green drake on this site!
Collected June 1, 2007 from the West Branch of the Delaware River in New York
Added to Troutnut.com by on June 4, 2007

The Discussion

Post Reply
WbranchFebruary 24th, 2009, 3:12 pm
York & Starlight PA

Posts: 2733		I can't seem to be able to find my Green Drake/Brown Drake fly box....might of left it someplace or maybe it is up in my cabin but in case it is lost (over 100 emergers, duns, and spinmners) I was wondering what you PA/NY fishers use for the body? Specifically what color? do any of you color the dorsal side with brown indelible ink? I do and rib the abdomen with brown cotton thread. Thanks. A picture would be helpful.
Catskill fly fisher for fifty-five years.
LittleJFebruary 24th, 2009, 7:40 pm
Hollidaysburg Pa

Posts: 251		I dont have a picture but here's my recipe.

green drake comparadun-

Tail- moose mane
body- blend of white, insect green, and olive wapsi rabbit dub
rib- white cotton embroidery floss
wing- dun coastal deer hair

spinner

tail- moose mane
body- white wapsi dub
rib - white embroidery floss
wing- dun coastal deer hair tied spent

I have used black ribbing in the past and it worked fine, but after looking at jason's pics I switched to a white ribbing because it seemed more accurate, and it has worked fine as well. I typically don't worry about the top color of my dries because i'm not yet convinced that it matters.
Flytyer0423January 28th, 2010, 6:16 am
germansville PA

Posts: 14		what i like for green drakes is using a olive-brown body with four or five long tails, i usually use moose mane, and a medium to dark brown hackle, sometimes i like to throw in a couple wraps of olive hackle between the brown, and wings i use a olive dyed mallard flank.
(vistit my website @) www.natureboyoutdoors.weebly.com
Flytyer0423January 28th, 2010, 6:16 am
germansville PA

Posts: 14		what i like for green drakes is using a olive-brown body with four or five long tails, i usually use moose mane, and a medium to dark brown hackle, sometimes i like to throw in a couple wraps of olive hackle between the brown, and wings i use a olive dyed mallard flank.
(vistit my website @) www.natureboyoutdoors.weebly.com
RleePJanuary 28th, 2010, 7:39 am
NW PA - Pennsylvania's Glacial Pothole Wonderland

Posts: 398		In all the years I spent fishing the drake on PA freestones (an important distinction), I never used anything but a simple Gray Fox Variant (Flick) and can't say I ever had a refusal that could be attributed to inexact imitation. Always did well on it and it's a pleasant fly to tie and an easy fly to dry with a single false cast.

The pattern/photo is everywhere online; here's one example:

http://flytyingworld.com/fly-detail-58-GrayFoxVariant%28A.Flick%29.html

In all the years I spent fishing the drake on PA limestones, I never did well on anything but a #16 sulfur comparadun...:) That is to say, it was always my experience that the fish preferred the sulfurs which were almost invariably mixed in with the drakes on the water.

All the same, a lot of the guys I knew who fished the drake on Penns or Big Fishing swore by a Wulff-style pattern with a moose body tail, split greenish/yellow deer or calf for the wing, a white to off-cream body and a ginger/grizzly hackle mix. Usually, they were able to bring up several fish before switching to a sulfur and starting to really pound them as a result...:)

Quick Reply

You have to be logged in to post on the forum. It's this easy:
Username:          Email:

Password:    Confirm Password:

I am at least 13 years old and agree to the rules.

Related Discussions

TitleRepliesLast Reply
Re: Bead head or not???
In Beginner Help by Gt2003		4Mar 19, 2019
by Jmd123
Umbrella hook Western March Brown Dun pattern
In Fly Tying by Rgiffin		0
Re: Coffin Fly Spinner
In Male Ephemera simulans Mayfly Spinner by Jackson		6Jun 10, 2009
by Martinlf
Re: winter fishing - ice in the guides
In Gear Talk by Trowpa		14Jan 7, 2009
by Phishheaduj
Re: Favorite Pattern for Isonychia
In General Discussion by Adirman		11Jun 16, 2016
by Jmd123
Re: collected from Bitterroot yesterday Drake
In the Identify This! Board by Leskorcala		4Jun 17, 2020
by Leskorcala
Re: New Mexico ???
In Beginner Help by Hankaye		3Apr 19, 2013
by Sayfu
Re: MIDGES: who's got a good pattern that works consistently?
In General Discussion by Jmd123		7Nov 14, 2020
by Wbranch
Re: First fly-rod trout of the year
In the Photography Board by Jmd123		3Apr 16, 2012
by Seatrout
Re: Those "green fish" - and a yellow one, and some orange & blue ones too!
(3 more)

In the Photography Board by Jmd123		5Apr 28, 2016
by Jmd123